


Five People Whose Lives Changed Because of Cinderella, And One Who Refused to Change at All

by Dimity Blue (Arnie)



Category: The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, Gen, Missing Scene, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 11:11:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18009845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnie/pseuds/Dimity%20Blue
Summary: Missing scenes from different points in the film.





	Five People Whose Lives Changed Because of Cinderella, And One Who Refused to Change at All

It wasn't the position but the positioning that was the problem, Willoughby soon realised.

When the Prince had looked at him and asked his name, Willoughby's instinct had been to look to Mr. Fletcher. Mr. Fletcher always knew what to do. He and his mobile eyebrow reigned over below stairs with a superb control that never faltered. For once, it had. And in front of Royalty too.

At the Prince's beckoning hand, Willoughby had hurried forward. It had been thoroughly instilled in him that when Royalty ordered, you obeyed. Even when the Prince was handing you a sword and telling you to put it on. At the Prince's request that he be given help, Mr. Fletcher himself had come to his aid. Willoughby had trembled, expecting to see Mr. Fletcher's fearsome eyebrow in action, instead, Mr. Fletcher had ordered him in a quiet murmur to keep calm, as though he had known that Willoughby's head was spinning.

By the time the Prince had left, Willoughby had gathered enough of his new duties to follow him.

And now here he was, in a bedroom of his own, awaiting a tailor to come and measure him for more suitable clothes.

Willoughby stared down at his footman's uniform. An hour ago, it had been suitable for his position. Now, Prince Edward himself was discussing Willoughby's fencing, dancing, and horse riding lessons. That morning, Willoughby's ambition had been to get through the day without invoking Mr. Fletcher's wrath. Now... now...

How had his life got so complicated?

@}~%~

John bowed and left the hall. _Sir_ John. With one wave of his sword, Prince Edward had changed John's entire life. As easily as that, everything John wanted was within reach. He was no longer a servant; instead, he was a baronet. But even the most minor of baronets can propose to the Dowager Queen's favourite lady-in-waiting with the expectation of his suit being taken seriously.

John forced himself to keep a steady pace instead of bolting along the corridors as if the army of Carosvelt was hot on his heels. Caroline was most likely with the Dowager Queen and could not, therefore, be whisked away with any propriety. However, the Dowager Queen was an elderly lady who very often fell asleep. It was entirely possible a lady in waiting could slip out for a few minutes.

As it happened, his luck was in and the Lady Caroline was just leaving the Dowager Queen's rooms.

"I must speak with you."

Caroline's gaze flicked to the doors behind her and back again. "I can't stay long. I have to go to the library." She frowned, her look changing to one of concern. "What is it?"

John took a breath as he drew her to a nearby niche that offered a little privacy. Now the moment was upon him, his hands were shaking. He took another breath and practically blurted out, "I'm a knight. The Prince has knighted me." As her beautiful eyes widened, John - for the second time that day - went down on one knee. "Lady Caroline, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Her hands tightened on his. "Yes. Oh, John..."

He stood and kissed her, then kissed her again.

"A knight. How... when?" she asked between kisses.

"In the lower hall. A knight of St. David. I can't believe it myself. Your parents won't object, will they?"

Caroline smiled. "Mother already knows about you. She's been praying for a miracle for us."

"A miracle indeed." John sighed. "I would wish the same for the Prince."

@}~%~

James, the Lord High Chancellor in service to King George V of Euphrania, sighed to himself as he gazed into the young girl's eyes. Age was a requirement for a Lord High Chancellor but, at that moment, his years weighed heavily upon him. In his youth, he'd wanted to be a soldier but his father was the Lord High Chancellor before him and, with no other sons, James's feet had been directed to the required path.

And now, here he was, breaking a young girl's heart for the sake of Euphrania. A soldier's life might have been more honourable. Perhaps, after this, he could persuade the King to let him retire.

However, his King and country required it, so James put aside his regrets for the career he never had, and began to talk.

@}~%~

Charlotte opened her eyes and realised she was on the floor of the church with her mother in front of her clucking agitated endearments. For a moment, Charlotte thought the strong arm and sturdy shoulder supporting her belonged to her father but his angry voice was too far away for it to be him. Charlotte moved and was immediately lifted to her feet, the man - her bridegroom's cousin, she realised - moving with her to keep her supported.

Even in the antechamber, he stayed by her side, his hands clasping hers.

"May I be entirely selfish and admit I'm not sorry this has happened?" he asked.

Her face must have shown her astonishment.

"Not for your sake," he hurried to add, "but for mine. Marriage would have put you beyond my reach forever."

His dark eyes said more than was seemly. She was his cousin's intended bride. Or, rather, she had been. Now she was his cousin's jilted bride who had been rejected at the very altar. The humiliation faded as she gazed into dark eyes that showed more warmth than her distant bridegroom ever had.

"I'm the Duke of -"

"Yes. I know." Her excellent education supplied his name, along with his date of birth and exact relation to the reigning King of Euphrania. It hadn't told her of how her hands would feel clasping his or how it felt when his arms encircled her and his lips met hers. She smiled and found herself laughing at how inadequate her education had been. "You're Clarence, the Duke of Montague."

"And I'm yours, if you'll have me."

Charlotte swallowed down the lump in her throat. She'd thought it was only in fairytales that a princess got to marry the man of her choosing. "Mine," she agreed.

Clarence drew her close again. "Forever."

@}~%~

George Edward Albert Augustus smiled to himself as he stood by the window and watched his newly married son escort his bride - such a charming little thing - around the gardens.

Edward had chosen well, and George couldn't fault his choice. The girl had shown strength and grace in the face of exile and the loss of her intended husband. She had certainly acted like a princess.

George didn't consider himself a religious man but he had thanked God every night since the wedding that he'd been spared sacrificing his son's happiness for his duty to his country. Being King came at a heavy price, but that would have weighed the scales down to an almost unbearable degree.

Instead, the alliance had been made through George's nephew. George found himself smiling again. He'd never thought highly of his nephew until the moment when he'd realised Clarence was in love with the Princess Charlotte. Clarence had saved them all, and George was grateful. He was even grateful enough to bestow a handsome estate upon his astonished nephew, the income from which was sure to be appreciated enough to persuade Clarence and his wife to support peace towards Euphrania should the alliance break down.

However, with Clarence married and out of the way in Moravia, that left George free to consider the problem of his son's in-laws.

Cinderella was every inch a princess. They, on the other hand, were not.

It was possible, though doubtful, the girls might improve. Their mother, on the other hand...

The door opened and George turned to find his Lord High Chancellor bowing.

"Your Majesty, I am commanded by the Queen, your wife, to inform you that the Princess Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters are here."

"I thought as much. Come in and shut the door."

@}~%~

Ludmilla frowned to herself as Isabella flitted around the room. Isabella and Palatine had been far too delighted with the modest dowries provided for them by the King. And now, here Ludmilla was in her new son-in-law's house with Isabella taking far too much upon herself.

"What do you think, Mama? Isn't it beautiful?" Isabella patted the cushion into place as though it were made of gold. "Cinderella picked it out especially."

Ludmilla had heard all about the sitting room furniture Cinderella had sent. As though she couldn't have afforded to send more, and of better quality. To think, too, of her girls fawning over that ungrateful wretch of a girl. It was infuriating. Palatine, Ludmilla was pleased to note, hadn't lost her head nearly as much as Isabella.

"My poor child!" Ludmilla put her arms around Isabella. "This dreadful country is too cold for you! When will you be in Euphrania again?"

"But Mama! You know Rupert has to attend the King!" Isabella smiled. "Just fancy, Mama, we're at court almost every day! There's talk of my becoming a lady in waiting to the Queen!"

"Lady in waiting!" Ludmilla's annoyance deepened.

Isabella, who was not always particularly intelligent, nodded eagerly. "Rupert's such a favourite at court! Why, the Duke of Monmouth himself has sponsored him!"

Lady in waiting... sponsored... It was iniquitous! Here were her poor darlings practically exiled to being servants in different countries while Cinderella played at being a princess back home. If things were as they should have been, Cinderella would still be sleeping in the kitchen!

"Isabella! You're giving me a headache!" Isabella had always been foolish, Ludmilla thought in the sudden silence. "My child, I can't bear to think of you being a servant, even to Royalty."

"Oh, Mama! It's not like that!"

"It is like that! You put me out of all patience! When I think of the sacrifices I made, the economies... And here you are, enthusing about being a servant!"

"But, Mama!"

Ludmilla paced around the room. Her recently acquired sons-in-law were social climbers, in her opinion. It was all Cinderella's fault, of course. She must have persuaded the King to get rid of Isabella and Palatine. It was probably that slimy Lord High Chancellor who'd thought it all up. They'd given her precious darlings large enough dowries to attract fortune hunters, then the King and Queen had thrown a ball - ostensibly to introduce their new daughter in law to everyone - but really it was so Isabella and Palatine could meet the entourages and hangers on that surrounded foreign diplomats. Of course they were foolish enough to imagine themselves in love, and now - despite Ludmillla's objections - here they were married to a mere Baronet and a Vicomte and living in different countries!

If only their father hadn't died. He would have protected his daughters' interests as she, a mere woman who'd been widowed twice over, could not.

Ludmilla sat down on the despised sofa that had formed part of Cinderella's wedding gift to the new Lady Buckraven and stared out of the window. Euphrania seemed so very far away and England... England was cold and wet and full of foreigners. "And does it ever stop raining?"

The end.  
3rd March 2019


End file.
